Here at Architectural Classics we know there is more than one way to skin a cat.

No, don’t send your cats here! Definitely not! All I mean is that there is more than one way to make your home a testament to what has gone before … and while period hardware is an endlessly beautiful way to do that, you can also do it with nothing more than a bit of creativity and your neighbour’s garbage bin. You can take that literally if you really want …!

Another website that knows the value of junk and imagination is the site of the month, Recyclamps.com. Here you’ll find awesome recycled junk like windows put on legs with LED lighting underneath – creating a very cool glowing snail trail effect on a glass table. Great for kids, yet not great for kids at the same time!

There is an old washing machine barrel that has been made into a light fixture, creating mood lighting with spots of light all over the room. Or the light fixture made of flexible insulation cable, which looks like an alien cocoon of some description and seems to throw a beautiful grey light – it would be awesome in minimalist black and white rooms. Some of them are a little more junky than others – the lead light under a grater throws light patterns, sure – but prepare to be as underwhelmed as I was! As a friend of a friend says though, you have to slay the dragons to get to the princess :-)

There are also some Ikea baskets hung over lead lighting to make outdoor lamps. Not waterproof obviously, so undercover only! But the wicker is a great effect outdoors, with all of the trees and lattice of the garden.

One of the more impressive pieces is the felt stars plant, where half a plant pot has been stuck to the wall, with Christmas lighting extending from it, taped to the wall with a felt star covering each of the lights. So imaginative … you can tell your friends that you thought of it first, and just hope that you aren’t discovered!

And whether or not the ideas work (and believe me, there are plenty of very cool ideas that come up beautifully), one thing the site does without fail is make you look at all of the cr*p on your garage floor a lot differently! Not to mention making you want to go straight out to Ikea and wander around for hours. Just let there be light…

          

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